Longtime college and high school football coach Ulima Afoa has accepted the position of athletic director at his alma mater, Saint Louis School.

Saint Louis had been expected to announce the hiring yesterday, although no official word came from the school as of early last night. But Afoa — the head football coach and athletics and fitness coordinator at Kamehameha Schools-Hawai'i the past four years — confirmed to The Advertiser late yesterday afternoon that he has accepted the offer, which he had been contemplating for over a week.

Former Saint Louis athletic director Todd Los Banos announced in late February that he would step down to return as an executive at The Children's House school, a job he started on June 16.

"I made up my mind over the weekend, and it wasn't an easy decision," said Afoa, a 1977 graduate of Saint Louis and former standout offensive lineman for the Crusaders and San Diego State University. "But the main draw was this is an opportunity to not just be an athletic director, but to be an AD at my alma mater. It's the possibility of helping a successful program, it's a great opportunity at a prestigious school.

"We'll have some challenges, but it's a natural draw with me being alumni of the school. That's ultimately what it was — I have a special place in my heart for Saint Louis, and I think that's ingrained in us."

Afoa had been head football coach at Kamehameha-Hawai'i since its first varsity season in 2004, compiling a five-year record of 34-15, including Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II championships in 2005 and 2006.

The Warriors had a winning record in each of Afoa's four seasons, including a 6-4 inaugural year with no seniors on the roster.

Afoa said Kamehameha-Hawai'i athletic director Bob Wagner "was very supportive" during his decision-making process.

"Coach Wags knew this was a great opportunity for me," said Afoa, who was UH's defensive line coach under Wagner in 1995. "I've enjoyed working together with him again and he knew it would be a hard decision, because I've had a great relationship with the administration, faculty and kids at Kamehameha-Hawai'i."

Afoa was a standout lineman at Saint Louis and San Diego State and spent 18 years as an NCAA Division I assistant coach, including 16 at San Diego State and Hawai'i (defensive line) in 1995 and 1996. Afoa also was Punahou School's defensive coordinator in 1994.

He said he accepted the job of Saint Louis athletic director, not football coach. Afoa said he still has some loose ends to tie up at Kamehameha-Hawai'i before moving to O'ahu and starting his new position in "two or three weeks."

"We have to take everything one step at a time," Afoa said. "I'm still busy being excited about being the Saint Louis AD."